Year’s beginning can signal a time to evaluate health issues – or even make resolutions if you think that’s helpful. Those steps may lead to an office visit or diagnostic tests. I am a fan of Dx testing – to a point. One grievance is that these tests are generally open to interpretation and don’t always produce the black and white results we are led to believe. Still, improvements are welcome, and here are a couple examples – one for men and another for women.
Men & Prostate Exams
In school, I remember learning the 70-70 rule. 70% of men over 70 years old have enlarged prostates. [I haven’t checked the stats recently.] Yet, while it’s not often brought up in “polite company,” I know a bunch of these guys. Currently, my friend, Leesa, is going through this situation with a parent. Several other friends have received various treatments from surgical intervention to radiation seeds or alternative remedies.
Kyle and Bill, both diagnosed with early prostate cancer skipped any alternative possibilities, and neither opted for “watchful waiting” (also known as active surveillance). The latter is often a reasonable approach due to the slow moving course of prostate cancer in elder males. Nevertheless, the choices are tough. Surgical removal has common side-effects (impotence and difficult urination being two). Most of the side effects for the majority of men are not permanent, but can be. Radiation seeds, less common now than in a brief heyday, still have some pros with the cons. Briefly, this is a type of (internal) brachytherapy, in which low-level radioactive substances are used to kill cancer cells (in this case, placed inside or around the prostate). Their side effects are not a surprise, and center on urinary symptoms, frequent and urgent urination, or inability to empty the bladder completely. As with surgery, the side effects are usually not permanent, and most often reduce as the radioactivity of the seeds reduces, typically over 2-12 months.
Type-A personalities (real ‘go-getters’) may have a difficult time patiently waiting – whether it is ‘watchful’ or not. Now there is a test (especially with early diagnosis) that eases tension a bit (mentally at least). The Oncotype Dx Prostate cancer test starts with a biopsy, and uses the tissue to analyze the genetic information.
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“For too long, we’ve over-treated prostate cancer.
This test allows us to avoid aggressive treatment when it’s not needed,
and saves lives when it is.”
— Michael Roizen, MD,
Cleveland Clinic, Preventative Medicine
Women & Mammograms
In 2017, on another blog, I authored an article regarding new 3-D mammogram options. In 2018 there was a fair bit of media attention on these newer approaches, (with findings in the UK showing how digital reading is superior to film.) Even more cutting edge is 3CB imaging, still considered experimental. Getting back to 3-D mammography, it is also known as tomosynthesis, and to the patient (YOU) there may be little or no difference in the process (including the uncomfortable parts).
It’s not a miracle change, and is actually shown to produce (slightly) more radiation. Still, it’s a step forward. It helps avoids frequent false positives and “call-backs.” To learn more about this new machinery, and what it means to you (especially those with “dense” breasts), see the short article here: How Mammograms Look at the Older Breast and New 3D Options.
Less Guessing – Less Stress
Perhaps the best thing for men or women about both of these new methods is that there are fewer “equivocal” results, which means you can avoid increased stress and worry. Keep these two tests on your memory shelf, and the next time a prostate treatment or breast mammogram is prescribed for you or a loved one, you might look into the availably of these assessment tools.
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Picture credit: Key to health by Gimono via Pixabay 2114313_1920
